The Internet is a vast, globe-spanning, collection of interconnected computer networks and the associated programs, protocols, and standards that enable these computers to communicate with each other. The World Wide Web (“web”), a popular application of the Internet, relies on a combination of various protocols and standards to make vast collections of digital content accessible via the Internet.
The globe-spanning nature of the Internet lets a user contact any computer connected to the Internet from any other computer connected to the Internet. This fundamental property of the Internet, combined with the ease of publishing content on the web, is largely responsible for the explosive growth of the Internet as a medium of communication.
An Internet service provider (ISP) is a company that provides individuals and other companies access to the Internet and other related services. An ISP has the equipment and the telecommunication line access required to have a point-of-presence on the Internet for the geographic area served. A dial-up Internet connection may be initiated between an ISP and a personal computer (PC) when the PC user provides the correct username and password to the ISP.
A point-to-point protocol (PPP) connection typically is used to establish a connection between an ISP and a personal computer (PC). Essentially, a PPP packages a computer's internet protocol (IP) packets and forwards them to the server where they can be put on the Internet. Before establishing communications over a point-to-point link, each end of the PPP link must send out link control protocol (LCP) packets. LCP packets either accept or reject the identity of the peer computer based on criteria such as common configurations and packet size limits.
Once the LCP packets accept the link, traffic can be transported on the network. To gain Internet access, the PC will send a request to the ISP, and the ISP then will challenge the PC to provide the correct username and password. Various authentication protocols may be used to ensure that the correct information has been provided to the ISP. Once the username and password have been authenticated, the ISP allows the user access to the Internet. Generally, the username and password must be provided to the ISP to establish a connection between the user's PC and the ISP.
A drawback associated with having to provide a username and password when challenged by the ISP is that a PC user is burdened by having to enter that identification information, which may increase the time and effort required on the part of the PC user. Another drawback associated with having to provide network identification information when challenged by the ISP is that multiple PC users in a local area network (LAN) may be denied access to the Internet because they do not know the master username and password. Although this may be an advantageous security feature in some settings, it may be desirable to share the Internet access through one ISP account, for example, in a house having three computers.
In view of these disadvantages it would be desirable to provide a device that facilitates information transfer between networks by automatically providing a first network with information when the first network requests that information from a second network.
It further would be desirable to provide a device that can intercept and store network authentication information by emulating a first network when coupled to a second network, and can emulate a second network when coupled to a first network.
It also would be desirable to provide a device that can emulate an ISP and interrogate a PC, so the device can obtain network authentication information without having had that information initially.
It also would be desirable to provide a device that can emulate a PC by automatically providing network authentication information to an ISP without having the PC user enter that information.